This project investigates how nutritional patterns, metabolic dysregulation, genomic variation, and immune function jointly contribute to the onset and progression of major non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including respiratory, metabolic, renal, and cardiovascular conditions. Using UK Biobank’s extensive dietary, biomarker, genotypic, and longitudinal data, the study will apply multi-omics approaches to identify biological mechanisms linking lifestyle factors to chronic disease development and multimorbidity.
Research questions include:
(1) How do dietary patterns interact with metabolic and immune markers to predict incident NCDs?
(2) Do genomic variants modify associations between nutrition, metabolism, immune function, and disease risk?
(3) Which multi-omics signatures predict transitions from healthy status to early metabolic dysfunction and established chronic diseases?
(4) Are these associations consistent across demographic, lifestyle, and environmental subgroups?
Objectives:
* Quantify independent and combined effects of diet, metabolic factors, and immune markers on NCD onset.
* Identify pathways using integrated multi-omics analyses.
* Characterize disease progression and multimorbidity trajectories.
* Provide evidence supporting precision-nutrition and early-intervention strategies.
Scientific rationale:
NCDs share mechanisms involving metabolic dysfunction, systemic inflammation, and immune imbalance. Diet influences these pathways, while genetics and environment shape susceptibility. Few studies integrate nutritional, metabolic, immune, and genomic data at population scale. UK Biobank offers an exceptional opportunity to examine these mechanisms comprehensively and clarify how diet-related biological pathways affect long-term chronic disease risk.